Two major dams that supply water to Eldoret town are drying up, leading to a major crisis.
The Eldoret Water and Sanitation Company has announced that water levels at Two Rivers and Ellegirini dams have reached critical levels. The dams will be closed down in the next few days unless it rains.
The two dams account for 45 per cent of the company’s water supply in the town. A notice from the company says it is implementing a water rationing plan.
“In the event the drought continues, the company will be forced to shut down water production at Sosiani, Kapsoya and Naiberi treatment plants,” the notice read.
The company said it will only be left with Chebera Water Supply, which is operating at maximum capacity but cannot serve the town fully.
Farmers are staring at major losses. "I have been growing seasonal high-value crops like tomatoes and vegetables but the drought has caused a major upset and my crops died due to lack of water as you can see," Paul Bett said.
Uasin Gishu Governor Jackson Mandago has urged residents to work with the company and conserve the available water to avoid wastage.
He visited Lelkotet dam where he said he is committed to providing water to all households by the end of this term.
The county acquired multimillion-shilling machines, as well as desilting and drilling equipment to implement the governor's plan.
Mandago said 95 per cent of the more than 300 dams had been desilted and the county is expanding another 300 water reservoirs.
Both domestic and industrial water users will be affected once the company begins to effect the rationing plan. Mandago said the county will upgrade the dams to help in conservation in the future.
“If we have well-done dams then we will be able to store adequate water for use by residents even in cases of severe drought as is the case this year,” the governor said.
(Edited by R.Wamochie)
